Assigxob to



UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNCOLLINS RUSSELL, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TOBIAS NEW,on NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY-TAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,954, dated February5, 1884.

Application filed July 13, 1892. (X0 mndrl.)

vented a new and useful Key-Tag; and I hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, n aking part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved key-tag. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation,

with the telescoping portions withdrawn to display the interior imprint,and showing the side of the tag opposite to the side shown in Fig. 1;and Fig. 3 represents a modification.

The object of my invention is to provide a; key-tag which will indicatemeans for the return of lost keys to the owners, and yet not disclosethe business, place of business, or residence of the owner.

As at present used, key-tags will disclose to a dishonest person findingkeys the residence or place of business of. the loser, and therebyafford the finder an opportunity to apply the keys for dishonestpurposes; or, if the lost key or keys fall into the hands of an honestfinder, an edition of a newspaper must be waited for to advertise theloss. The de lay caused inthe latter instance may work great harm to theowner where the lost key is a safe-key, the safe probably containing theowners books or papers wherewith to commence business in the beginningof a day. Moreover, if the tag, as at present used, indicates theindividuality of the loser, and the finder thereby becomes aware of thelosers financial standing, it is is likely to tempt the cupidity of thefinder and lead to extortion in the reward demanded.

Myinventionis designed to overcome these disadvantages of key-tags as atpresent used; and my invention consists in a key-tag, as a new articleof manufacture, bearing. an imprint of a central place of delivery, astate ment of reward to be paid, and a serial num ber individualizing oridentifying the owner. In order that those skilled in the art may makeand use my invention, I will proceed to describe the exact manner inwhich I have carried'it out.

The tag I prefer to use, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, iscomposed of two shells, a b, which telescope one within the other at theends.

WVithin the hollow shells a b is an elastic strip, 6, one end of whichis secured within the shell I) andthe other end at the bottom of shella. The elasticity of strips 1) is such that in its normal condition itdraws shell I) over shell 0 and keeps the shells closed and the elasticstrip out of sight, as seen in Fig. 1.

On one side of shell a is stamped or imprinteda serial number indicatingthe ownship of the tag, (see Fig. 2,) and on the elastic strip 1) isstamped or imprinted a central point of delivery-in this instance, forillustration, 252 WVashington st.and a state ment of an amount of rewardto be paid on delivery at the place named. If desired, the

i side of the tag opposite to that containing the serial number may haveimprinted on it directions as to opening the tag, as seen in Fig. 1. Afinder of the keys discovers from the tag that a reward can be obtainedby returning them to a certain place-say 252 Washington st. The finderdelivers them there, and obtains the rated reward without obtaining theremotest idea as to ownership, and there is no inducement to extort orduplicate the keys before returning them. The person at the place ofdelivery determines the owner by the serial number, and at once forwardsthe keys to the owner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- As a new article of manufacture, akey-tag bearing an imprint of a central point of delivery, a statementof a reward to be paid, and a serial number indicating ownership,sulistantially as set forth.

. JOHN COLLINS RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

S. E. BRYANT, A. STUART.

